The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a web and an apparatus for manufacturing laminated material based on the web.
There is a known reticulate non-woven fabric in which a longitudinal web which has a number of slits along the length is laminated on a reticulate lateral web which has a number of slits along the width.
In the non-woven fabric, a long sheet-like member or a film(raw fabric) which has a number of slits along the length is delivered and is spread to open the slits and to form a longitudinal web. The longitudinal web is laminated on a lateral web manufactured in another process, so that a reticulate non-woven fabric is manufactured.
The length of film delivered is limited. Therefore, the rear portion of a first film is bonded with the front end of a second film to form a longitudinal web continuously.
There are known bonding methods as follows:
a) Films are bound to each other at several points. That is to say, fibers which are formed between slits in a film are bound to each other, so that they are bonded. PA0 b) Films are bonded with sheet-like bonding material such as an adhesive tape. PA0 c) Films are bonded with sheet-like bonding material such as an adhesive tape, and are further bonded by forming slits having a certain width in the bonded portion. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Pub. No. 56-53259) PA0 d) Films are bonded by applying or spraying adhesives, or hot-melt.
However, the method "a" requires binding fibers at several points, which is troublesome and has low efficiency. The portions at which fibers are bound generate large cracks which have poor appearance and low strength when a reticulate non-woven fabric is formed by spreading and laminating the films, so that it could not be used as a final product. Thus, in order to exclude the poor portions at further process, it is necessary to rewind it, which is troublesome.
In the method "b", it is necessary to bond a film with another film by sheet-like bonding material, thereby making spreading impossible in spreading process. If it is forcibly spread, a large crack occurs similar to the method "a" and a poor product is manufactured, which needs troublesome rewinding similar to the method "a".
In the method "c", slits which have a predetermined width are formed in the bonded portion with sheet-like bonding material; so spreading would be possible in spreading process. But, when the film is spread, if slits are not minutely formed in the sheet-like bonding material, cracks are formed, thereby not only damaging bonded fibers but also sticking foreign matter thereto. The bonded portion is defective to involve disadvantage similar to the above "a". To form the slits in the bonded portion is not only troublesome, but also necessary to provide a cutter and drive means therefor.
In the method "d", there are disadvantages that adhesive are sticked to films to bond adjacent fibers to each other and to close slits, adhesives are sticked to spreading and transfer apparatus to become dirty, and the bonded portion may peel off owing to heating at thermal compression bonding in further laminating process.